Mike & Paulette Vande Logt

As executive vice president and chief operating officer of Winfield Solutions Seed at Land O’Lakes, Mike Vande Logt specializes in plant breeding and plant genetics.

With over 30 years of experience in the seed industry, he understands how important food production and food access are in maintaining a functioning society. One of the driving forces behind his commitment to Greater Twin Cities United Way is his passion for addressing hunger in our community, which is fully supported by his wife Paulette.

After participating in his Land O’Lakes workplace giving campaign for many years, Mike furthered his United Way involvement by becoming a Tocqueville Society cabinet member and serving as chair of the Land O’Lakes giving campaign in 2009.

Mike sees a strong connection between hunger and many other issues associated with poverty and economic stability. “If you’re hungry it’s hard to focus on anything else in your life,” Mike said. “All other problems go away when you are hungry.”

The Vande Logts believe that other areas of life such as education, job performance, and health and safety, benefit from programs that help meet our basic food needs. They view supporting these programs as an important investment in our society. “Life has been so great to me, I want to give back to the community,” Mike said.

For Mike and Paulette, giving back to the community through United Way includes a concentration on their own gifts and volunteer work, but also involves encouraging others to give back. “Giving is something that has to be cultivated,” Mike said.

As a United Way volunteer solicitor and CEO caller, Mike helps cultivate giving in his fellow business peers—a task he enjoys because it can have a significant impact. Mike and Paulette knew they wanted to make a legacy gift to United Way—a gift that would sustain their important annual support for years to come. With this in mind, they worked with United Way staff and their Financial Consultant Kelly Anderson, with Home Federal Investment Services, to put a United Way Life Insurance policy in place.

United Way Life is a product that most life insurance agents can offer their clients. The gift is created through five annual payments to United Way. Since United Way is the sole owner and beneficiary, the annual premiums may qualify for a charitable income tax deduction. At the end of the five-year period, a substantial irrevocable life insurance gift is in place.

United Way is grateful for the Vande Logts’ generosity and is proud to welcome them as founding members of the Tocqueville Legacy Circle. They join other loyal supporters who have made gifts in their will, estate or financial plans in an amount that will sustain a Tocqueville level annual gift of $10,000 or more.